Milwaukee County Jail security upgrades aimed at curbing contraband

Milwaukee County Jail security upgrades

The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors passed an amendment that funds a new state-of-the-art body scanner and K-9 unit for the Milwaukee County Jail.

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors on Thursday passed an amendment that funds a new state-of-the-art body scanner and K-9 unit for the Milwaukee County Jail. 

What they're saying:

The amendment passed 15-2. It moves more than $250,000 from funds previously allocated for overflow detention housing at the Racine County Jail.

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"I hope this will cut down on the contraband that gets into the jail," said Milwaukee County Supervisor Justin Bielinski.

"Jail leadership is saying if they had a state-of-the-art body scanner, and a third K-9 to join their two other K-9s, that any other drug contraband that would be coming in with people arrested and charged, would be greatly mitigated," said County Supervisor Sky Capriolo.

Milwaukee County Jail

The backstory:

County leaders said the amendment is a result of an audit done on the jail last year. The 42-page outline issues with overcrowding, mental health and suicide watch. It comes after two in-custody deaths so far this year.

"If it ends up being staff bringing it in, this will help us to know that, and we need to know that," said Bielinski. "Other facilities around the country and Waupun, for instance, right here in Wisconsin, that has been the source for drugs coming in, so we just want to get to the bottom of where it is so that no one loses their lives."

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The chief deputy said the jail's current scanner cannot detect some substances. 

Since 2020, there have been over 175 incidents of contraband in the Milwaukee County Jail. Naloxone was administered 50 times; commonly known under the brand name Narcan, it reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.

Contraband incidents at Milwaukee County Jail

What's next:

On Thursday, the sheriff's office put out a statement grateful the amendment passed and hopeful it will keep drugs out and save a life inside. The sheriff's office also said the body scanner and K-9 will be implemented into the jail in the coming months, but it's not clear when.

FOX6 News reached out to the sheriff's office for an interview but did not hear back by the deadline for this story.